


What a Joy

by catchingdragons



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Harry Potter Next Generation, Multi, Next Generation, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-27 23:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/984731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catchingdragons/pseuds/catchingdragons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”  - Anne Frank</p>
<p>James finally has to grow up, if he likes it or not. Soon enough he will have to admit that doing so in the public eye is not easy. At least his family has his back, don't they?</p>
            </blockquote>





	What a Joy

**Author's Note:**

> Why hello there! So, this story has been on my mind for quite some time now and I had to get it out in the open.  
> I hope you'll like and if not, don't be mean ;)

„What in Merlin's--“ Harry rubbed his thumbing toe as he looked down to take a look at what he had just hit with his foot. Right there by his feet lay a mop of messy dark-brown, curly hair attached to a sleeping boy. Whatever James had had to drink that night must have come in heavy doses because he didn't even answer the blow to his head with more than a loud snore.  
Pointing his glowing wand at his son's body, Harry couldn't help but grow annoyed. The younger Potter was only half-dressed with his shirt off but his pants on despite the open hanging belt. One foot was naked with the sock in its owner's clenched fist while the other foot was still in his sock and shoe. Deciding he really didn't want to know the story of this particular evening Harry waved his wand in the air and levitated his son into the marital bed where only minutes before he had laid next to Ginny.  
As soon as he left the room and put himself under the spray of the shower his thoughts kept twirling back to his son. James had graduated from Hogwarts this summer and much to his parent's dismay hadn't so much as thought about his future. At first Harry understood, the boy wanted to relax a bit, live the life of a teenager with his siblings and cousins for one last summer before turning into an adult. But it had been a few weeks since the remaining students of the Weasley-Potter lot had left again for Hogwarts and James wasn't any closer to start a job or anything than he was at the start of summer. Instead he spent his days watching TV or playing with that bloody Z-box thing or what it was called. Except when he was helping out at the joke shop with Fred, who happened to be his best friend and cousin closest in age, he only left the house to go out with friends in the evening and for Sunday lunch at the Burrow.  
Upon hearing his wife's voice Harry heaved a sigh and left the comfort of the shower before casting a drying spell on himself and putting on his clothes. Ginevra Potter was indeed a loving mother, having inherited the heart of gold from her own mother, but her kids knew very well not to cross her. And coming home drunk on a day like this was definitely pushing it a bit too far.  
“This is not okay, James. On any other night you can go and drink 3 cauldrons worth of firewhiskey for all I care, but today? Honestly, James. I thought you knew better than this! You better not look hungover at the ministry, or I swear on Dumbledore's blithering Hat Collection-” Ginny's lecture was put to an end when she felt her husband's hands on her rigid shoulders. Much to his mother's bewilderment James only lay on his back and groaned like he did all through her reprimanding.  
“You know, it's no use chiding him now.” Harry kissed her fiery red hair lovingly. “He's too pished to really appreciate it.”  
A sigh escaped Ginny's delicate lips as she turned around and slung her arms around Harry's waist. “I blame you and Ron for his behaviour lately, you know that right?”  
“How am I to blame for your son's antics then, Mrs Potter? Ron I understand, but me?” He gave placed his lips on her forehead, grinning amusedly as he did so.  
“Oh, as I recall it Mr Potter, you and my dear brother were both seen quite frequently at the Hogs Head during mine and Hermione's last year of school. And do not try to justify your benders with being on Death Eater Patrol that year or the Auror training.” When Kingsley had offered Ron, Neville and Harry to take them into his Auror squad during the summer that followed the war, Hermione and Ginny decided to go back to Hogwarts and finish their NEWT year. In the beginning it seemed as though the two couples would not see much of each others that year, but it turned out that the boys spend more nights in Hogsmead than not during their missions.  
“I will not attest to an allegation of that sort.” With another kiss to his wife's forehead he pulled away. “I ought to leave for the office now. Kingsley will want to go over tonight’s security precaution. See you two for lunch at the Cauldron?”  
“Yes, we'll be there.” As an afterthought she glared at her snoring son and added “But don't be surprised if there are still bats coming out of his nose.”

 

When James felt the unpleasant force that pressed against his guts while side-along apparating, he was actually happy his stomach was empty already because otherwise he would have vomitted on his mother's shoes.  
The mother-son-duo reappeared in the back of the Leaky Cauldron where Ginny immediately let go of James' arm. He knew she was still rather shirty with him for coming home drunk, but really it wasn't his fault. Come to think of it, it was most definitely Fred's fault. His beloved cousin had picked James up last evening for a quick pint at that pub where they had met those two muggle girls last week. Only did it not end after one or two pints, but after deciding there were no objects of desire for either of them they took themselves to the Mad Hatter's Larke, a pub situated right between Diagon and Knockturn Alley.  
From what James could still remember there had been a hen night going on when they arrived. The two young men had joined the group of women and he had been flirting with one girl all night. She had been shy, yes he could remember that. Her hair had been a light shade of brown which he thought was beautiful in composition with her bright blue eyes. Her name had been something exotic he was sure, but he couldn't think of it. He'd have to ask Fred later maybe he remembered.  
While he was still deep in tought about the previous night his mother had lead him inside the Leaky Cauldron and was already engaged in a conversation with Hannah Longbottom. Hannah had started working at the Cauldron a few years after the war and became the landlady after marrying Neville when the former landlord Tom became too sick to lead the pub.  
"Jamie, you look like shit." James was startled from his thoughts at the sound of his older brother's voice. He turned around and faced Teddy who was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a band T-Shirt. Under his beanie the older wizard sported his custom shaggy, bright turquoise hair. "I bet dad won't be too impressed to have his Jamie baby boy looking like he just got home from another pub crawl." Despite the teasing grin on Teddy's face he threw his arm around his younger brother's shoulder.  
"Sod off." James was far too tired and sick to argue with Teddy right now. Knowing when not to push his brother, Teddy let go of him and hugged Ginny instead. "Hey mum."  
James watched as his mother and Teddy dived into a discussion with Hannah about the Cauldron being perfect for the impending engagement party for Teddy and Victoire. Silently he followed them towards the private room in the back of the public parlour. When they arrived in front of a heavy wooden double door at the end of the parlour, Hannah lifted her wand to open the doors and let them in. The room was filled with a large wooden table in the middle and big comfortable chairs. On the wall to James right was a crackling fireplace. Sitting there with his back to the fire was his father.  
"I'll be back with your drinks in a minute. Exploding lemonade, James?" Hannah was already about to leave the room again when she turned to James askingly. He gave a short nod as answer and went to fall into the chair next to his dad.  
"Well look who's up." Harry grinned and gave his son's hand a frim squeeze. "You look like you had a run-in with one of Luna's Umgubular Slashkilters."  
"I said that too." Teddy laughed and sat on the chair next to James. The latter only requited his brother's statement with a snort. "Oh, come on Jamsie-Pooh. Don't look like someone crucioed your favourite dragon doll."  
"Ted, stop it. James, if I see that finger of yours up again I swear I'll hex it off." Ginny sat down next to her husband. "Nox came back from Hogwarts when you left. Lily is not happy that Hugo and Rose are allowed to come tonight and she has to stay." Nox was the owl Lily had gotten for her tenth birthday a few years ago. She had been complaining how she always had to use Harry's owl for her letters to Hogwarts and seeing as Harry was almost never able to hold his own when confronted with tears rolling his daughter's face that resembled Ginny's way too much, he had given in and bought her the midnight black owl with the white ring around it's right eye.  
"I wouldn't have thought she'd like it much." Harry and Ginny had expected their youngest child to grouse about having to stay at school when her cousins were allowed to come home for the weekend. But as they had explained to her several times, it was an event fully for Hermione and not Harry which was why they had decided the rest of the Weasley-Potter children would stay at school. That way there was almost certainly no havoc raised at the ministry. The only ones to look out for were Fred and James.


End file.
